1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to use of computer-based systems to engage viewers of an event, and more particularly relates to a decision making system for a user to manage a sports team playing a virtual game over a media feed to evaluate their decision making performance.
2. Description of Related Art
Almost a decade ago, the only way to connect with an ongoing live event was either by watching it on TV or by attending the event in person. With the increasing use of internet-based interconnected computing devices, which may include, but are not limited to, laptops, phones, tablets, desktop computers and smart TVs, more and more people are engaging with a live event by constantly checking on updates through various online social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) or by watching it “on the go” through webcasts or podcasts.
In the specific case of a sporting event, people also like to check on latest scores and various updates, such as decisions made by coaches, managers, captains or any other on-field decision-maker in a specific gameplay scenario. Those watching these events on a TV or in person also like to check internet-based media to access past or present statistics related to the sporting event, analysis by experts, and similar information which have traditionally not been available to them.
During the game play, the viewers may or may not concur with the decisions made by the on-field decision-maker, such as a coach, a manager or a captain of a team, and may have their own opinion on the best course of action which should have been taken, based on their own experiences and observations. However, they do not have a way to validate in real-time or near real-time whether their choice of decision and corresponding actions would be more likely to have resulted in a better outcome for a scenario in a live game.
At present, there are several computer games which simulate real life sports events. These games allow a user to interact with the simulated game environment based on a pre-defined set of parameters. However, there is no way for the user to test his or her hypothesis about a decision in a live gameplay scenario, as these simulated game environments lack a sense of reality due to pre-defined parameters and not being ‘live’ enough (i.e. close enough to the actual live event to be able to fully appreciate the impact that a decision or action might have had).
Additionally, these simulated game environments lack the ability to help the user ascertain whether his or her choice would have been as effective as or better than the one made by the on-field decision-maker, such as a coach, a manager or a captain of a team, during the live event in real-time or near real-time.
Therefore, there is a need for a decision making system that enables a user to manage a sports team by playing a virtual game, and evaluate his or her decision making performance, wherein the virtual game represents a real sports game received from a media feed.